Start in the same space if possible for every class (ex: The Circle, Pond, Back benches)

Talk about Fall and review some of the notes at the bottom about Pumpkins. Ask what are the children’s favorite things about pumpkins

Main Lesson

Pumpkin Observation and roasting pumpkin Seeds. You will observe if the pumpkin will sink or float, measure the height, weight, circumference and ribs on the pumpkin and do some creative tasks like drawing, design you pumpkin and finally count and roast the pumpkin seeds. You can do the class in two weeks. Activity 1 – Week 1 and Activity 2 – Week 2

Activity 1a

Does the pumpkin sink/float, measure the height, weight, circumference and count the ribs and seeds in the pumpkin.

Materials Needed: Pumpkin, scale to weigh the pumpkin, tape measure, knife to cut the pumpkin, tub large enough for the pumpkin to fit, twine so the kids can approximate the height and circumference.

Activity 1b

Water the garden using the water used to float/sink pumpkin experiment, Pumpkin carving or decoration

Materials Needed: Watering cans, Small pumpkins and decoration materials if you want to pumpkin decoration activity

Activity 2a

Roast the pumpkin seeds with different flavors and vote on the best flavor (Salty, Sweet, Spicy)

This class can be done as a series in 2-3 weeks depending on what you can accomplish in each week. In one of the classes we did it in three weeks by baking small pumpkin pies and tasting them outside while enjoying the fall weather. Please use individual worksheets sheets if students don’t need supervision writing on their own.

ACTIVITY 1a: Experiment and Observe the pumpkin

Ask the kids to hypothesize if the pumpkin floats or sinks. Conduct the experiment by doing it in front of the kids and see if the hypothesis was true or false. You will need to fill a big enough container with water to fit the pumpkin. I would choose a medium size pumpkin and a clear tub/bucket. If the container is not clear ask the kids to come observe individually. If you are ambitious try different size pumpkins. They all float. (https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-pumpkins-float-or-sink). This is activity 1 in the booklet

Measure the pumpkin – height, weight, ribs, circumference of the pumpkin. With older kids you can do hypothesis and observe the results of the hypothesis. The children can approximate the circumference using a twine. You can ask the children to use the twine to approximate the circumference and cut it. In the end they can come up and measure to see which twine was closer to the actual. This is activity 2 in the booklet.

Cut the pumpkin and wash the seeds. If time permits count the seeds in the garden or they can do it as an activity in their classroom with the teacher. Send the seeds with the teacher. Before you do the actual counting ask the children to approximate the seeds in the pumpkin. This is activity 5 in the booklet.

ACTIVITY 1b : Water and Pumpkin Carving

Water the garden with the water used to experiment the pumpkin sink/float. You can use the water to wash the seeds and then wash them again. The children learn the concept of reusing water for different purposes.

If you plan on carving the pumpkin then carve the pumpkin and place it in the garden or compost the pumpkin once you have taken out all the seeds.

ACTIVITY 2a : Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds – You can divide the pumpkin seeds from Activity 1a or get more pumpkin seeds and divide them into three groups and roast them.

Salty (Mix all together)

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 – ½ TBSP olive oil

Salt to taste

Sweet (Mix all together)

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 – ½ TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP maple syrup or brown sugar

Spicy (Mix all together)

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 – ½ TBSP olive oil

¼ – ½ TSP Black Pepper

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and layer the different mixtures of pumpkin seeds in a thin layer and bake for 15-20mins at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cool and ask them to taste and vote on their preferences.

ACTIVITY 2b : Draw and Describe Pumpkins

While the pumpkin seeds are roasting you can ask the children to do language arts activity preferably outside so they can enjoy the fall weather.

Draw a pumpkin and ask them to use adjectives to describe the pumpkins they drew. Activity 3 in the booklet.

Worksheet Links

Additional Information

A pumpkin is an orange fruit harvested in October, this nutritious and versatile plant features flowers, seeds and flesh that are edible and rich in vitamins. Pumpkin is used to make soups, desserts and breads, and many Americans include pumpkin pie in their Thanksgiving meals.

Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns is a popular Halloween tradition that originated hundreds of years ago in Ireland. Back then, however, jack-o’- lanterns were made out of turnips or potatoes; it wasn’t until Irish immigrants arrived in America and discovered the pumpkin that a new Halloween ritual was born.

Pumpkins are a member of the gourd family, which includes cucumbers, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, watermelons and zucchini. These plants are native to Central America and Mexico, but now grow on six continents.

Pumpkins are low in calories, fat and sodium and high in fiber. They are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein and iron.

Pumpkin seeds should be planted between the last week of May and the middle of June. They take between 90 and 120 days to grow and are picked in October when they are bright orange in color. Their seeds can be saved to grow new pumpkins the next year.

An average pumpkin contains about 500 seeds which are a great source of protein. There are 30 varieties of pumpkins but the one we carve for Halloween is the Connecticut Field Pumpkin.